I visited Hawaii twice last year. Here are 4 things I'm glad I packed and 2 things I wish I'd left at home.

As someone who lives in Phoenix, I always have a pair of sunglasses with me. Knowing we'd be spending a lot of time outside in Hawaii, I wisely chose to bring my pair with polarized lenses.

Unlike my cheaper, everyday sunglasses, these help protect my eyes from glare from reflective surfaces, which was especially helpful when swimming or looking out across the ocean. They also help reduce eye strain.

It was the right swap, and the quality of the lenses meant that the colors and hues of Hawaii weren't diminished when I wore them.

I wanted something that could help me carry a few things down to the beach or pool without taking up a ton of space in my luggage. So, I brought a smaller, non-traditional beach bag with me.

Without a stiff bottom, I could easily roll it up into my suitcase. The bag itself still fit all the essentials and easily doubled as my purse when we were out and about.

Naturally, I had sandals and flip-flops stuffed into my bag, but I made sure to bring one pair of comfortable sneakers too.

They were my go-to each day, and I found it easy to go on hikes and explore around volcanic rocks in them.

In my opinion, one of the best parts of visiting Hawaii is exploring on foot, and coming prepared with the right footwear really helped.

Hawaiian law prohibits the sale and distribution of sunscreens that contain oxybenzone and octinoxate, which are damaging to reefs.

So, all travelers are asked to use only reef-safe sunscreen, which is the type sold locally on the islands.

By doing some light research, I was able to find an acceptable reef-safe brand, Raw Love, and stocked up on TSA-approved sizes for our carry-ons.

I'm not usually a fan of checking luggage, but for our trip to Maui, we chose to bring a checked bag for our snorkeling gear. But in the end, the equipment was never used.

We were so busy exploring the island that we didn't spend time snorkeling at the numerous beaches while driving around Maui. Plus, our time in the ocean was spent at the resort, where snorkel sets were provided by the hotel.

In the future, this gear will only come with us if we plan some dedicated off-property snorkeling time in advance.

Maui felt like the perfect place to debut several new swimsuits, especially because I'd be in the water so frequently.

In reality, though, I found myself consistently choosing my favorite (and most practical) swimsuit almost every time. I just hung it out to dry every evening to ensure it was ready for the next day.